Robert Gordon University to open up almost 200 graduate apprenticeships

An Aberdeen university will open up almost 200 new graduate apprenticeship places as part of efforts to improve work-based learning in the north-east.

A total of 180 new fully-funded places have been awarded to Robert Gordon University by Skills Development Scotland.

The positions will cover a wide range of disciplines studied at the university, including business management, construction, engineering and data science.

As part of the new scheme, RGU will become the first university in Scotland to offer a graduate apprenticeship in accountancy, with 40 places available.

The project supports the Scottish Government’s plans to create 30,000 apprenticeship jobs a year by 2020.

Professor John Harper, the principal of the university said: “RGU has a history of close partnership with employers and was proud, in 2017, to have been one of the first universities in Scotland to deliver graduate apprenticeships – a trend which continues with these latest offerings.

“There is now, more than ever, a significant emphasis on repositioning the workplace as a learning environment and graduate apprenticeships allow the university to extend access to degree-level studying, while minimising time out of the workplace.

“As well as the benefits to the apprentices themselves, employers also benefit in a number of ways – from ensuring they have the right skills within the company to meet their business needs, currently and in the future, to improving existing employee retention by investing in their development.”

Gradate apprenticeships have been developed by Skills Development Scotland in partnership with employers, universities and colleges across the country, to create new links between education and industry.

Jonathan Clark, the director of service design and innovation from Skills Development Scotland, said: “The success and growth of graduate apprenticeships demonstrates that they are supporting employers to upskill their workforce and giving individuals more opportunities to learn and develop their career whilst in employment.

“Universities and colleges across the country are widening their choice of graduate apprenticeships, and Skills Development Scotland will continue to develop subjects that focus on a range of sectors where there is a need for highly skilled jobs.”